Kapuso star Mikael Daez lifts Unang Hirit to 2nd straight win in GMABL

MANILA, Philippines -- Mikael Daez exploded for a tournament-high 38 points as Unang Hirit fended off Sports 5's late fightback in a pulsating 62-59 win over the weekend in the GMA Basketball League Season 5 at the UP-Ayala Technohub gym.

The Kapuso actor hit six triples and grabbed 18 rebounds in a dominant performance to help Unang Hirit notch its second straight win after opening the tournament with a tough loss to iJuander.

Sports 5, which started the game with only five players due to the FIBA Asia Men's Championship coverage, battled Unang Hirit toe-to-toe and trailed by only one in the opening quarter, 13-12.

But Daez caught fire in the middle quarters as Unang Hirit kept Sports 5 at bay and established a double-digit lead, 51-38, heading into the fourth quarter.

Behind the troika of PBA Radyo anchor Chiqui Reyes, PBA Moneyball/courtside host Jutt Sulit and Sports360 executive producer Chu Villar, Sports 5 came close to repeating its come-from-behind win against iJuander in their league debut as they cut the deficit into just two, 61-59, entering the final two minutes.

Daez and Unang Hirit host Neil Sese, who finished with 10 points and two steals, came through with clutch plays to preserve the win as Sports 5 ran into errors in the dying seconds.

Sports 5, which drew 17 points from Reyes, missed the services of gunner Cedelf Tupas and big man Nic Earnshaw and slid to 1-1 win-loss mark.

In the curtain-raiser, Season 2 Finals MVP Carl Guevarra and veteran banger Carlo Gonzalez led PPL to an 83-71 victory against the undermanned Alisto to remain as the only unbeaten team in the tournament presented by AND1 and SPJ Fried Chicken.

Guevarra hit 18 points while Gonzalez put up a double-double performance with 16 points and 18 board for PPL.

In the second game, Michael Caneba carried iJuander on his broad shoulders finishing with game-highs of 22 points and seven boards to lead his team to a 66-62 win over guest team Pit Bulls.

Paolo Armenta and Pancho Magno added 12 points apiece for iJuander which sent Pit Bulls to their second straight loss in as many games. 

In the third game of the quadruple-header, BJFC recovered from its crushing defeat at the hands of Unang Hirit in its previous game as it kept RMHS '94 winless with a 68-63 victory.

Antonio Quiazon had 24 points, five rebounds, three assists, two steals and two shot blocks as BJFC caught Unang Hirit and iJuander at 2-1. 

Games will resume on Sunday in the same venue with iJuander going up against Billy James Fitness Center in the opening game at 1:30 p.m. followed by Sports 5-Alisto match at 2:30 p.m.

Unang Hirit will gun for its third straight win when it takes on unbeaten PPL at 3:30 p.m. Cellar-dwellers RMHS '94 and Pit Bulls collide in the final game at 4:30 p.m.